A Gravel Road Race

Rasputitsa is Russian for the mud season when roads become difficult to traverse. The Rasputitsa is a psychotic 45 mile, insane, drop to your knees and cry sufferfest with an absurdly section so difficult that people won't believe your stories called Cyberia.

tekne cycling:fifty shades of grit

Ultimately, Rasputitsa was a race of grit, on every level. Grit, permeating every inch of clothing. Grit, metaphor, driving every rider, from 1st (very much so) to last place. Grit, that quality the event’s organizers would surely be proud to identify with.

to be determined: how the race was won

For me, the rest of the race was pedal as hard as I could until I couldn’t, join up with a group, drop them or get dropped, and climb on the tops and do everything else in the drops. I finally cracked for good on the last long dirt climb before the road into the CX course. I got halfway up, slowly rolled to the side, got off my bike, and leaned over it.

the rasputitsa spring classic by tim johnson

“Being a road, cx and mtb racer in New England probably prepares you for an event like Rasputitsa without even knowing it. I had the chance to help create a new cyclocross-style finish including barriers, stairs and mud with my wife, Lyne Bessette, and then race at this year’s event…I loved it!”